Antenna lead clip



May 12, 1964 AUI-D, L 3,133,147 1 ANTENNA LEAD CLIP Filed July 22, 1960Enema-r /Ml INVENTORS 4 7 r0 exvsys United States Patent O 3,133,147ANTENNA LEAD CLIP Edwin C. Auld, J12, Pasadena, and Robert E. Imps,Sierra Madre, Calif. (both R. E. Imus, 835 Woodland Drive, Sierra Madre,Calif.)

Filed July 22, 1960, Ser. No. 44,689 3 Claims. (Cl. 174-154) inventionrelates to antenna lead clips; that is, to devices for supportingantenna leads or other electrical lines in spaced relation to a roof orother surface.

Included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an antenna lead clip which incorporates novel meansfor clamping a roof shingle or the hke to provide an upright support,and means tor receiving and securing an antenna lead of either thecircular or parallel wire t Geor ia, to provide an antenna lea-d clipwhich may be installed and secured to an antenna lead without the use oftools.

Third, to provide an antenna lead clip in which the antenna leadreceiving means includes an insulating element partially rotatablebetween a lead receiving position, wherein the antenna may be readilyinserted or removed by radial movement into or out of the insulatingelement, and a securing position wherein the lead is tightly gripped andheld from contact with metal.

Fourth, to provide an antenna lead clip wherein the clamping means isadapted to lit various types and thicknesses of shingles.

Fifth, to provide an antenna lead clip which although capable ofproviding a permanent support for an antenna lead or the like, may bereadily removed or changed in position, or arranged to permit adjustmentof the antenna lead.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the antenna lead clip shown secured to a roofshingle and showing fragmentarily an antenna lead shown secured in theantenna lead clip;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through 22 of FIG- U=RE 1 showing the baseportion of the antenna lead cli FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewthrough 3-3 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the manner in which the antennalead is secured in the antenna lead clip;

FIGURE 4 is a similar hragmentary sectional view with a portion shown inelevation showing the manner in which the clamping disk of the antennalead clip is positioned to receive an antenna lead;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged tragmentary sectional view taken through 5-5 ofFIGURE 4 showing theopposing walls of the antenna lead receiving slit; 7

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, showing amodified form of the antenna lead retaining disk, the disk being shownin its lead securing position;

FIGURE 7 is a partialsectional, partial end view thereof, showing thelead receiving disk in its position to receive an antenna lead.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURES 3 and 6,showing a further modified form of antenna lead receiving member, withthe antenna lead shown as it appears when secured.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the FIG. 8 embodiment,showing the position of the disk when disposed so as to receive anantenna lead.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, showing astill further modified form of 3,133,147. Patented May 12, 1964 ice theantenna lead receiving disk, the disk being shown in its position forsecuring the antenna lead.

FIGURE 11 is a partial sectional, partial elevational view of the FIG.10 embodiment, showing the modified antenna lead receiving member inposition to receive the antenna lead.

The antenna lead clip includes a triangular base loop 1 formed of wirehaving some degree of springiness. One end of the loop is turnedupwardly, as indicated by 2, tor a distance slightly greater than thethickness of a typical shingle S, as shown in FIGURE 1. The upper end ofthe portion 2 is bent to form a clamp element 3, having one or moresteps or shoulders 4 and downwardly sloping portions 5 therebetween. Theclamp element 3 forms with the base loop 1 a yield-able clamping meanswhich is adapted to receive shingles of various thicknesses. That is,the clamp means is adapted to fit relatively thin shingles or relativelythick shakes.

The clamp element 3 is b nt upwardly near the side of the loop 1, remotefrom the upturned apex 2, to form an upturned stem 6 which preferablyextends perpendicular to the base loop 1. The upper extremity of thestem 6 terminates in an open loop '7 of circular configuration with thestem 6 disposed in radial relation therewith, and with the extremity ofthe loop 7 forming with the stem an opening 8.

lI heloop 7 is adapted to receive a disk member 9 having an annulargroove 10 which receives the loop 7 so that the disk member is capableof rotation within the loop 7 but is held against axial displacement. Inorder to rotate the disk member 9, one axial side thereof may beprovided with handle lugs 11 as shown in FIGURE 1. The disk member isprovided with a radial slit 12 extending somewhat more than half waythrough the disk member and terminating at its inner end in an enlargedopen ing 113.

The slit is adapted to receive an antenna lead L of the type comprisingtwo parallel wires connected by a web; or the opening 13 may receive around wire lead.

The sides of the radial slit 12 may converge towards each other trom theaxial ends of the disk member and be provided with axially displacedribs 14 as shown'best in FIGURE 5. With this arrangement, when the sidesof the slit are pressed towards each other as will be describedhereinafter, the axially ofiset ribs tend to produce a rudimentary Sbend in an antenna lead L inserted in the slit.

The periphery of the disk member 9, at one side of the radial slit 12,is provided with a notched portion 15. At the Opposite side of theradial slit the annular groove 10 is provided with a radial bulge 16, asis shown best in FIGURE 4.

Operation of the antenna lead clip disclosed in FIG- URES 1 through 5 isas follows:

The triangular base loop 1 is inserted, under a shingle or shake S asshown in FIGURE 1 so that the clamp element 2 bears on top of theshingle or shake and support the stem 6 in substantially perpendicularrelation with the surface of the roof. The disk member 9 is rotated sothat the radial slit l2 registers with the openings in the loop 7 asshown in FIGURE 4. The antenna lead L is then inserted radially into theslit whereupon the disk 9 is rotated to a position such as shown inFIGURE 3. In doing so the bulge I6 is distorted into the notch 15 asshown in FIGURE 3, so as to close the slit l2 and prevent the antennalead from moving radially into contact with the loop 7. The dimensionsof the bulge 16 may be such that in order for the disk 9 to turn to theposition 3 the loop 7 must expand slightly so as to apply and increaseconstrictive force on the disk member 9 and compress the walls of theslit 12 tightly against the opposite sides of the antenna lead so thatthe antenna lead is firmly held and may be forced into a rudimentary Sconfiguration by reason of the ribs 14.

Reference is now directed to the construction shown in FIGURES 6 and 7.The construction here shown isessentially the same as the previouslydescribed structure except that in place of the notch 15 the groove isprovided with an arcuate recess 17 and in place of the bulge 16 there isprovided a flexible tongue 18 adapted to fold into the arcuate recess 17as the disk member is turned from the position shown in FIGURE 7 to theposition shown in FIGURE 6. With this arrangement the tongue 18 crossesover the end of the radial slit 12 and completely closes the end so thatthe anterna lead cannot move radially into contact with the loop 7. Asin the first described structure the tongue 18 may be slightly largerthan the recess 17 so that on turning of the disk member to the positionshown in FIGURE 6 a constrictive force is applied causing the walls ofthe slit 12 to grip the antenna lead.

Reference is now directed to the construction as shown in FIGURES 8 and'9. In this construction an ovalshaped loop 7a is substituted for thecircular open loop '7 and an oval-shaped disk 9a is substituted for thedisk 9. The slit 12 is so oriented that when the major axes of the ovalloop and oval disk are in coincidence the slit is exposed to the opening8. Upon rotation of the disk 9a to a position 90 from that shown inFIGURE 9, that is to the position shown in FIGURE 8, the disk 90 isdistorted so that the walls of the slit grip the antenna lead.

Reference is now directed to FIGURES 10 and 11. In the construction hereillustrated the loop 7 is provided with an internal bulge 19 and thebottom of the annular groove 10 is provided with a notch 28. When thebulge 19 and notch 20 are in registry the slit 12 registers with theopening 8. Upon turning the disk member 9 until the notch and bulge areout of registry, as shown in FIG- URE 10, the disk is distorted so thatthe walls of the slit 12 grip the antenna lead and the radially outerends of the slit are compressed sufliciently tight that the antenna leadcannot move radially into contact with the loop 7.

It will be observed that while the base loop 1 and clamp element 3 areparticularly designed to grip a shingle or shake forming a part of aroof, the loop 1 may be slipped under a strip of siding on a verticalsurface. It will also be observed that while the stem 6 is normallydisposed perpendicular to the surface defined by the loop 1, it may bebent into other angular positions as may be desired.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details ofthe constructions set forth, and it embraces such changes,modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation andarrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna lead clip, comprising:

(a) a supporting structure having'an open loop element;

(b) an insulation disk formed of distortable material and having aperipheral groove fitted within said loop element to permit rotation ofsaid disk therein;

(c) said disk also having a radial slit adapted to register with theopen side of said loop element to receive an antenna lead, and movableon rotation of said disk to a retaining position confronting a Wall ofsaid loop element;

(d) the confronting walls of said slit having axially offset ribsengageable with opposite sides of said antenna lead at axially.displaced points thereon to resist longitudinal displacement of saidantenna lead;

(e) and forming means operable on movement of said disk toward itsretaining position to cause said disk to grip said antenna lead.

2. An antenna lead clip, comprising:

(a) a supporting structure having an open loop elernent;

(b) an insulation disk formed of distortable material and having aperipheral groove fitted within said loop element to permit rotation ofsaid disk therein;

(c) said disk also having a radial slit adapted to register with theopen side of said loop element to receive an antenna lead, and movableon rotation of said disk to a retaining position confronting a wall ofsaid loop element;

(d) and means operable on movement of said disk toward its retainingposition to cause said disk to grip said antenna lead;

(e) said means including a tongue projecting radially from said disk atone side of said slit and a mating recess at 'the opposite side thereof,said tongue adapted to fold into said recess and close said slit onrotation of said disk to its retaining position.

3. An antenna lead clip, comprising:

(a) a supporting structure having an open loop element;

(b) an insulation disk formed of distortable material and having aperipheral groove fitted within said loop element to permit rotation ofsaid disk therein;

(0) said disk also having a radial slit adapted to register with theopen side of said loop element to receive an antenna lead, and movableon rotation of said disk to a retaining position confronting a wall ofsaid loop element;

(d) and means operable on movement of said disk toward its retainingposition to cause said disk to grip said antenna lead;

(e) said means including a notch in the periphery of said disk and aninternal bulge in the wall of said loop element, said notch and bulgeadapted to register when said slit registers with the open side of saidloop element and misregister when said disk is in its retainingposition, whereby said bulge distorts said disk.

ReferencesCited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 369,447Greenfield -4 Sept. 6, 1887 1,527,346 Brady Feb. 24, 1925 1,625,645 FortApr. 19, 1927 1,886,752 Stansberry Nov. 8, 1932 2,291,430 Ingersoll July28, 1942 2,459,380 Hess Jan. 18, 1949 2,593,130 Flynn Apr. 15, 19522,682,609 Wampler June 29, 1954 2,701,820 Marth Feb. 8, 1955 2,733,290Valius Jan. 31, 1956 2,735,639 Gilfrey Feb. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS80,718 Germany Apr. 18, 1895 1,033,338 France Apr. 1, 1953

1.AN ANTENNA LEAD CLIP, COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE HAVING ANOPEN LOOP ELEMENT; (B) AN INSULATION DISK FORMED OF DISTORTABLE MATERIALAND HAVING A PERIPHERAL GROOVE FITTED WITHIN SAID LOOP ELEMENT TO PERMITROTATION OF SAID DISK THEREIN; (C) SAID DISK ALSO HAVING A RADIAL SLITADOPTED TO REGISTER WITH THE OPEN SIDE OF SAID LOOP ELEMENT TO RECEIVEAN ANTENNA LEAD, AND MOVABLE ON ROTATION OF SAID DISK TO A RETAININGPOSITION CONFRONTING A WALL OF SAID LOOP ELEMENT; (D) THE CONFRONTINGWALLS OF SAID SLIT HAVING AXIALLY OFFSET RIBS ENGAGEABLY WITH OPPOSITESIDES OF SAID ANTENNA LEAD AT AXIALLY DISPLACED POINTS THEREON TO RESISTLONGITUDINAL DISPLACEMENT OF SAID ANTENNA LEAD; (E) AND FORMING MEANSOPERABLE ON MOVEMENT OF SAID DISK TOWARDS ITS RETAINING POSITION TOCAUSE SAID DISK TO GRIP SAID ANTENNA LEAD.